- Lots of fireworks shot off inside the arena in Ontario. Michael Cole proclaimed it a sold-out crowd, one that would witness Randy Orton vs. Cesaro (who lost the “Antonio” in his name).

1 – DANIEL BRYAN & CHRISTIAN & SHEAMUS vs. THE SHIELD

It was announced that Sheamus takes on Randy Orton on Raw Monday night. As Seth Rollins and Christian started things off, Cole again called Rollins “the architect of The Shield” while once again failing to explain what that is supposed to mean. Sheamus faced off against Roman Reigns, and it was positioned as a big deal. Sheamus won a battle of right hands and made the first cover of the match, for a two-count. Huge pop for Daniel Bryan tagging in and hitting his signature moves on Dean Ambrose. There was a stand-off between the two teams in the ring. As the referee attempted to restore order, the show went to break at 3:23 of the match.

[Commercial Break]

Back at 6:14 with Bryan creating separation from Rollins enough to make a tag to Sheamus. Sheamus pounded on the chest of Rollins with his forearms, though by virtue of his ring gear, Rollins is well-padded in that area. Eventually, Sheamus was worn down by the frequent tags of The Shield. Reigns made the mistake of taunting Christian, who was on the apron, leading to Sheamus giving Reigns the Irish Curse back-breaker. Christian got the hot tag (now all three babyfaces have made that tag and had the opportunity to shine) and worked over Ambrose. Tornado DDT by Christian, with a pin broken up by the other two Shield members. Bryan kicked at the chest of Rollins and Reigns, but hopped right up onto the shoulders of Reigns. Instead of a powerbomb, though, Bryan’s hurricanrana sent Reigns out of the ring. After a flurry of action that involved all six men, Sheamus accidentally Brogue Kicked Christian when Ambrose moved. Reigns speared Sheamus and Ambrose pinned Christian.

WINNERS: The Shield, at 12:39. Solid, if predictable, six-man tag match. The finish was well-done, though.

Parts of the finishing sequence were replayed.

- Vickie Guerrero was on the phone backstage, not-so-subtlely plugging the WWE Network. Zeb Colter walked in and gave Vickie a heart-shaped box of chocolates for Valentine’s Day. Vickie was thankful at first, but then became suspicious. Colter said he already had one Real American in a title match (Cesaro), and wanted a title match for his other man, Jack Swagger. Vickie said Jack Swagger could challenge for the Intercontinental Title against Big E. Langston if he can beat Rey Mysterio. Colter was confident, but Vickie made the qualifying match a four-way, also involving Kofi Kingston and Mark Henry. And it’s tonight.

- Also tonight, an eight-man tag match with The Usos teaming with Cody Rhodes & Goldust to take on Rybaxel and the New Age Outlaws.

- Byron Saxton was backstage with Cesaro. Cesaro said no one thinks he can win at the Elimination Chamber. Tonight, he’ll beat Randy Orton to prove that not only can he win the WWE World Title, but he will.

- JBL and Cole were shown on-camera, and Cole brought up his weekly WWE.com interview with Triple H. Cole said Triple H announced that the WWE Hall-of-Fame ceremony will be carried in its entirety on the WWE Network on April 5th. Gutsy move by WWE. The video package for the latest Hall-of-Fame inductee, Lita, was shown.

- Entrances began for the Fatal Four-Way to determine the #1 contender to the I.C. Title. Mark Henry was out first, followed by Rey Mysterio. They went to break during Rey’s entrance.

[Commercial Break]

- A video package aired on WWE building a playground for an elementary school in New Orleans during Wrestlemania week.

Big E. was at ringside on commentary. No entrances for Swagger or Kingston out of break. A double dropkick by Kofi and Rey felled Henry. The high-flying babyfaces had a stand-off and briefly went at it. Jumping back elbow (obviously not getting the usual height on it) got a near-fall for Kofi. Roll through and a kick to the head by Rey for two. Swagger tripped up Mysterio as a light “we the people” chant started up. Kofi somersaulted over the top and onto Swagger at ringside. Rey jumped off the apron and sat on Kofi with a seated senton. Henry, with his left arm still wrapped, surveyed the damage and hit the opposite rope as if he was going to jump onto the gathering at ringside. Swagger entered the ring to make sure that didn’t happen. Swagger and Mysterio went at it in the ring. Kingston broke up a pin by Mysterio. Mysterio missed a shoulder charge in the corner, instead finding only the cold, unforgiving steel post. Boom Drop by Kingston on Swagger. He went to the top, by Swagger met him there and tried for a suplex off the top, but Henry grabbed him and powerbombed him. Kofi stayed seated on the top rope. All four men went at it, with Swagger applying the Patriot Lock to Henry. Henry powered out. Mysterio gave Henry a 619 to the gut and Kingston gave Henry Trouble in Paradise. Double German suplex by Swagger, who held onto Kingston, who had hold of Mysterio. Rey set up for a 619 on Swagger, but Kofi gave him Trouble in Paradise. Kofi tried to flip himself back into the ring from the apron, but Swagger grabbed him by the ankle. Swagger countered and Kofi went for his finish, but Swagger caught him with the Patriot Lock, again, for the tap-out win.

WINNER: Swagger, via submission, at 8:31. This pushed the bounds of how long a TV match can go these days without being interrupted for a commercial. It made sense for the only heel in the match to go on to face the babyface champion, but I thought Swagger’s losing streak gimmick would lead to his dismissal from the Real Americans.

A replay of some of the major moments in the match was shown.

- The Bella Twins gave out Valentine’s Day wishes.

- Up next, clips of Raw is Betty (White).

[Commercial Break]

- The Raw Rebound aired. It was focused completely on Betty White’s appearance. Anyone who didn’t watch Raw this past Monday will think, based on this, that they missed absolutely nothing important.

- Bad News Barrett and his rising podium (now looking more professional instead of just covered in black) joined us. He ripped on Valentine’s Day with some bad news: American women will gorge themselves on candy and chocolates. And in the morning, they’ll be ashamed at what they see. Whew, I’m glad us men got a pass from Barrett there.

- A graphic helpfully showed Orton’s path to the Elimination Chamber and how he has fared in each match in the gauntlet up to this point.

- Orton vs. Cesaro is still to come tonight.

- Goldust & Cody Rhodes came to the ring for their eight-man tag match. It’s next.

[Commercial Break]

- A.J. Lee does not like Valentine’s Day. She seemed content to celebrate with her Divas Championship.

When Rybaxel came to the ring, we saw The Usos defeating that team on Raw. Oh, and Billy Gunn running to the back holding his rear. Cody Rhodes raged a bit on the Road Dogg when he had the opportunity. Roll-up out of the corner for two. Double-team by The Usos, leading to a two-count. Leap-frog by Axel, followed by a dropkick on Jey. Axel stuck his knee into the face of Jey in the corner. Ryback got some pretty good heel heat when he entered, but it could’ve been just from the audio sweetener. Jey and Ryback traded chops, leading to Ryback slamming him. They went to break at 5:25 of the match.

[Commercial Break]

Jey Uso broke away from Ryback as the show came back, 8:56 into the match. Gunn slowly worked over Jey in the corner as the crowd chanted for Goldust. Both men made slow crawls to their respective corners, with Jimmy and Road Dogg coming in. Jimmy knocked Axel and Ryback off the apron in addition to taking down Road Dogg. Butt splashes to both Gunn and Dogg. The match broke down, as is tradition, with everybody getting involved and hitting high-impact moves on the outside. Stereo superkicks by the Usos. Jey dove onto the heels outside the ring, and Jimmy splashed Road Dogg off the top in the ring to get the pinfall win.

WINNERS: The Usos, Goldust, and Rhodes, at 11:52. The Outlaws tag title reign makes sense if they’re only a conduit to move the belts from Goldust and Rhodes to The Usos. It appears as if that’s the case.

- Renee Young was backstage with Randy Orton. Orton said he doesn’t think he’s been treated unfairly, because The Authority has always treated him fairly. Yeah, until next week, when he comes out to complain about The Authority. Again. Orton said tonight, Cesaro will get the Viper, because that’s what The Authority wants.

[Commercial Break]

- A pre-taped vignette aired with Lana and Alexander Ruseve. In case you were wondering, Rusev was not in WWE to make friends.

4 – DAMIEN SANDOW vs. DARREN YOUNG

Titus O’Neil had joined the announcers on commentary. Titus gave Cole Tic-Tacs for Valentine’s Day. They showed O’Neil turning on Young two weeks ago, as well as Young attacking O’Neil backstage last week. O’Neil made fun of Young’s haircut, saying Young’s five-year-old nephew cut it. Young clotheslined Sandow over the top rope and to ringside, right in front of the announcers. Young jawed with O’Neil, opening the door for Sandow to take over on offense. Sandow set up for his finisher, but Young rolled him into a pinning predicament, picking up the surprise win.

WINNER: Young, at 1:10. Quick, but it worked to continue a pretty promising mid-card feud.

O’Neil attacked Young after the match, with Young getting the upper-hand and eventually ripping the pants of O’Neil’s very expense suit.

- The Bellas, as flight attendants, prepped fans for the WWE Network in the same video that aired Monday night. Cole then listed a few facts about the launch of the Network.

- Tonight, Orton vs. Cesaro in Orton’s continuing gauntlet.

- Fandango came to the ring. He faces The Miz next.

[Commercial Break]

- The Great Khali said…something…presumably about Valentine’s Day.

5 – FANDANGO vs. THE MIZ

A dropkick to the knee by Miz sent Fandango flying. Miz hit the ropes, but Fandango caught him with a clothesline. Dropkick by Fandango for two at 1:28. Miz made his comeback, including a neck-breaker, but chose not to go for a cover. Fandango avoided a figure-four, but then Santino Marella’s music played, and he and Emma came out. Emma power-walked with Santino to the ring. Summer Rae tried to admonish the duo, but Emma just laughed. Summer poked Emma in the chest, so Emma shoved her. After a slap by Summer, the two brawled at ringside. Santino popped Fandango in the throat with the Cobra when Fandango tried to get involved (the ref’s attention was diverted), and The Miz hit the Skull-Crushing Finale for the win.

WINNER: Miz, at 3:45. This match was worked incredibly lightly in a few different spots.

- This week’s Black History Month video was on Bobo Brazil.

- Cesaro and Zeb Colter came to the ring for the main event. They aired a few glowing comments Triple H made in his WWE.com interview on Cesaro. The match against Orton is next.

[Commercial Break]

6 – CESARO vs. RANDY ORTON

Quick roll-up for one by Cesaro, just seven seconds in. After a failed roll-up attempt by Orton, he bailed. Cesaro did some mat wrestling with Orton, then picked him up and gut-wrenched him to the mat for two at 1:21. Orton took control back by beating up Cesaro outside the ring. Orton left his foe out there while he posed inside the ring as they went to break at 2:49.

[Commercial Break]

The match returned, 5:45 into it. Orton was still working over Cesaro outside the ring. Cesaro was sent head-first into the announce table. Orton and Cesaro traded European uppercuts, and with Cesaro, that’s just not a battle you’re going to win. Rope-assisted DDT was countered by Cesaro into the Giant Swing. But Orton made the ropes to force a break. Cesaro did it moments later, anyway. The crowd was really behind Cesaro. Orton’s equilibrium seemed off after the swing. After Cesaro landed on his feet on a back-drop attempt (quite a sight for a man Cesaro’s size), Orton powerslammed Cesaro for two. Vintage Orton DDT. Orton prepped for the RKO, but Cesaro gave him an uppercut to the back of the head. He tossed Orton into the air, catching him with an uppercut on the way down for a very near-fall. Orton tried a top-rope suplex, but Cesaro gave him a sunset powerbomb. That led to the Neutralizer, and a victory for Cesaro.

WINNER: Cesaro, at 13:19.

After replays of the match, Cesaro Pointed to the Sign and celebrated in the ring with his manager.

Greg Parks has been covering WWE Smackdown for PWTorch.com since January of 2007. He is the host of “Moonlighting with Greg Parks,” a PWTorch VIP-exclusive audio show posted each weekend. Follow him on Twitter @gregmparks for live Tweeting during Raw, Impact, and PPVs, as well as other bits of wisdom. Comments, questions and feedback are welcome, and can be sent to g_man9784@yahoo.com.

He hosted the weekly Pro Wrestling Focus radio show on KFAN in the early 1990s and hosted the Ultimate Insiders DVD series distributed in retail stories internationally in the mid-2000s including interviews filmed in Los Angeles with Vince Russo & Ed Ferrara and Matt & Jeff Hardy. He currently hosts the most listened to pro wrestling audio show in the world, (the PWTorch Livecast, top ranked in iTunes)

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